A Soul To Soul Chat
by Dreaming-Of-A-Nightmare
Summary: "Without a human body, there's nothing to distract me. I can see what makes you /you/, and who you are, and what you're like. When there's nothing to see or touch or know except for your voice, I feel more... /connected/ to you." .:. Elricest fluff.


**Repeat A/N: I recently fell into a rather odd pairing-obsession-phase: Elricest. I know, it's kinda gross and strange to some, but you can't deny that it's at least a little bit possible in the first anime series! **

**And you know what? I've come to a decision: **

**When it comes to pairings of FICTIONAL CHARACTERS, I no longer care if it's incest or yaoi or yuri or not. So long as the two characters work well together, look cute together, and can be easily written for/inspiration, I'm okay with the ship. But in real life with real people? Yaoi and yuri are fine, but I still think incest is gross, considering that I have siblings myself and way too many inbred children (poor souls) and family-rapes occur. So yeah. Fictional? Fine! Real? Not okay. Haha.**

**I know I'm mental (and like to rant a lot). Leave me alone~ X'D**

**Non-repeat A/N: This idea sorta popped into my head one night while daydreaming before I fell asleep. I thought it was cute, so I decided to write it as soon as I got my hands on a computer. ;3**

**And yes, this is in Al's POV; Ed is usually people's favorite, but I adore Al! He's just too cute, and I love that he loves cats and gets a little angsty sometimes. – Don't get me wrong, I still love Ed very much, but Al is just… ooh~! #squeezes him, armor or human or not#**

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I sit on the floor, staring out the window at nothing in particular. I can't feel anything, but I can remember. I remember that on nights like this, the wooden floor beneath me is cool and solid, and the air is fresh-smelling and lukewarm. In a sense, comfortable. In a sense, safe.

I glance over at the other bed across from the one I'm leaning against. Unlike my empty bed (in this body, I'm too big for most beds anyhow), the bed beneath the window has a sleeping figure lying under its covers: my older brother.

His hair is out of its golden braid, the strands flowing down between his shoulder blades and onto his pillow. His back is turned away from me, so I can't see his face, but I know how he looks when he sleeps. All of his stress, fears, and worries vanish from his features, and he takes on he appearance of someone younger and more innocent, despite what we've seen and done in our messed-up lives.

I'm sure Brother is tired from the recent events in Central; part of it being my fault. I didn't mean to doubt him, but that butcher's words were harsh and sadly very convincing to my unstable emotional state. But things were (mostly) straightened out, so I don't doubt him anymore.

If I could smile, I would be right now. There is a small moment of peace here, a treasure my Brother and I seldom have. Moments like this, even if one of us isn't consciously aware of it, are priceless. I wouldn't trade them for the world, even if something bad were to befall us in the next moment, or the next day, or for the rest of our lives. So long as I can have this, I'm fine. Just being here is enough.

I gather myself up as quietly as possible and make my way over to my brother's bed. I peer over at him, but I'm startled when I find him looking back at me.

I leap back a step. "You're awake?" I say in surprise.

Ed grins at me broadly before resuming a sleep-like position on his back, his eyes closed, but his mouth open in a yawn. "Yeah, I can't sleep." He peeks open one golden eye. "Hey, Al, can I tell you something without you laughing at me? I mean, you won't think I'm being stupid if I say something important, will you?"

I inwardly frown. "Of course not, Brother. What is it?"

He makes a face, but before I can tell what it means, he wipes the expression away and sits up, his hands lying in his lap. His tone grows soft and serious. "Al… I'm glad that you don't… hate me. I was afraid ever since I attached your soul to that armor that you would blame me for losing your body. But, isn't it kind of funny sometimes what fate gives you? It takes something away, but it makes you learn something in return."

He pauses, and I wait a second for him to continue, but when he doesn't, I prod him with a question. "Like when? What are you talking about?"

He smiles oddly, and then glances away from me, his eyes most likely falling on the moon. "You lost your body, Al, but because that happened… I feel like my eyes have been opened up more or something. Without a human body, there's nothing to distract me. I can see clearly, now, what makes you _you,_ and who you are, and what you're like. It's… it's almost like I was blind before, caught in the ignorance of childhood and the delusion that everything was going to be perfect forever, and when that delusion shattered, I…"

"Yes?" I prod again, my voice softer than before. Brother returns his gaze to match mine.

He tells me gently, "I finally _saw_ what makes up a human soul. I started to _feel_ instead of _witness_ your emotions and reactions, and I started to be more careful around you, because I didn't want to do or say anything that might risk losing you again. It's like… when there's nothing to see or touch or _know _except for your voice, I… I dunno…" He scratches the back of his head and adverts his eyes again, "I feel more connected to you, soul-to-soul. As if that knightly armor means nothing, and there's nothing stopping me from seeing the true you. And, I think… I think, without the distraction of sensation, maybe… maybe you're seeing the true me, too. And I guess…"

I again wait for him to say more, but this time I know that he doesn't know what to say, mainly by the way he sighs afterward. I step over to his bed and sit on the end, and offer a smile – one that is not seen, but felt, like Scar described my tears. Brother gets the message; I can tell by the way he smiles back loosely, as if in relief.

"Right. So. Thanks for not laughing a me," he says curtly, before hopping back onto his side and burrowing beneath the sheets. I can tell that he's only hiding a flush of embarrassment; Ed doesn't like to admit to being sentimental or affectionate, even with his words, but the fact remains that he still _is_ both of those things.

I inwardly grin again, and this time I reach over and brush back a few locks of his hair that fell over his face during the shift in position. "Thanks, Brother; I think I needed to hear something like that."

He grumbles something incoherent, and I chuckle softly to myself as I stand up and resume my place on the floor. This time, as I gaze over at my fidgeting-but-trying-to-sleep brother, I can't help but see things a little bit brighter.

Maybe our lives aren't so messed up after all. Perhaps this was all meant to happen, and we'll get a few more peaceful moments yet.


End file.
